Two Worlds, One Family
by Ice Jazz Elleth
Summary: The night Ezio returns from running chores for his father is the night he looses his whole family. Alone, he must learn to be an assassin, unaware that the Templars have convinced Claudia to join their cause. Now stuck on two opposing sides, can the family ever reunite? Can Ezio find his wayward sister and swing her to his cause? Or have the Templars constructed too powerful a lie?


The air had a definite chill in it, Ezio thought as he raced through the December evening. What would he be having for dinner tonight? Ezio wondered. A stew would be nice. Thick and warm, filled with meaty chunks. His mouth watered as he imagined eating the flavoursome food. Anetta was a great cook.

Amber eyes flickered across the roof tops. Dusk. It wasn't the safest to run at night but he wanted to get home. They would have started eating while he finished his work for his father.

He took the leap onto the family building, his foot nearly slipping on the tiles as he landed. But he was home. A smile came across his newly scared lips, thinking about Federico's likely teasing about Ezio being an errand boy.

Slinging himself over the edge, Ezio carefully felt his way down the building, one foot at the time. Sometimes he would drop down then catch himself but in this half-light he daren't risk that much. Glancing down, he looked at the courtyard. Something was wrong. The door was half off. There was a fallen shape that could be a sack of potatoes.

Fingers let go of his grip as soon as it was safe to, sliding down the fall, grazing his hands as he did so. Knees buckled to take his weight as he hit the ground, knocking him slightly against the wall. But he didn't mind. Something was wrong. It chilled his blood more than the weather.

Moving on light feet, Ezio crept forwards. The shape he'd mistaken as a sack was the body of their doorman, fallen forwards. His heart beat against his chest and he rushed inside. The lights were low, candles left burning recklessly. He blew them out before they could set fire to the house, lighting a stick for himself as he did so.

Creeping into the dining room, he found it in disarray.

"Father? Mother? Federico!" He shouted, throwing caution to the wind. No one came.

Ezio stared around, panic growing in him. Where was his family? Why had the door been forced open? Had it anything to do with the strange letters he had received?

"Claudia! Petruccio!" He cried, desperate now. "Anetta!"

There was a small sound. Weak. He nearly didn't pick it up. Ezio hurried to the hidden servant's door and opened it, nearly tripping over the body laying prone across the floor.

"Messere Ezio…" The voice said.

"Anetta!" He said, moving to try and help pick the house keep up and put her into a sitting position. Her eyes seemed unfocused and he noticed blood running down her head from a large wound. Her body was trembling and quickly he took her slight hands in his own.

"It's OK. Tell me what happened. Where's my family?" Ezio asked, trying to use a soothing voice.

"T-they t-t-took them," Anetta said, tears rolling from her eyes.

"Who?"

"The guards. They came after your father and brothers. They fought them. I got hit in the fray. Giovanni told me to get away. I can't remember what happened…"

"What about my mother and sister?"

"Mon Deiu! They are gone too?" Dread filled her eyes.

"We need to get somewhere safe." Right now he couldn't dwell on that. If the guards had taken his family, they'd be after him next. There had to be some mistake. He could think of no crime that they had committed. His poor mother and sister. Poor Petruccio!

"My sister…" Anetta said. "We'll be safe with her."

She tried to get up but slumped down, her body not taking her weight. Ezio looped a hand around her waist, letting his body support hers.

"Tell me where to go." He ordered the maid as they started to head out of the building.

The progress was slow as they kept to the emptiest streets that they could find. Avoiding guards and Vieri's men. At first Ezio thought it was the December rains as the water rolled down his face and collected at his chin. Then he realised that he was crying. Thankfully Anetta said nothing. Just that, Ezio reminded himself. Nothing. They had been charged with nothing. His family would be back with him in a few days. It would be fine.

"Still on this road?" Ezio asked, Anetta was falling asleep again. Her mind seemed unable to remain focused. Ezio wished he had the money to stop off at a doctor to get the head wound looked at.

"Hmm?" She buzzed, eyes flickering open and looking around.

"Back a bit." She managed. Ezio lifted her bridal style. She was a dead weight either way. But like this, she didn't need to put effort into walking.

"Left here." She said after a while. It was night. Hard to navigate the dark streets at the best of times. It was like a rat's warren.

"Towards the lights." Anetta said finally, directing him towards a building with red lanterns. He followed her instructions, feeling nervous. People were out here. And courtesans with their revealing clothes. Their skin in the dark red light was more appealing than he thought and despite his fear, Ezio found himself focusing on their bared flesh. Eyes staring at their revealed bosoms, the deep dark make up… Federico had kept him away from the courtesans because of the disease that was rife among them and it was much more fun to try for women who you couldn't pay for.

"Where to now?" Ezio asked, swallowing as he noticed that some of the girls moving over to him with swaying hips.

"It's here." Anetta said in his arms, on the verge of collapse.

"Come inside." One of the girls said, hand on Ezio's arm and leading him in. He couldn't resist. This seemed like some kind of nightmare. He wasn't sure if any of this was real.

"We'll get Paola and the resident doctor." One girl said, breaking apart from the others. The others lead them into a large room. Thankfully there was no bed and he settled Anetta down on a comfy seat.

Then he went to take one himself.

He guessed it wasn't surprising that Anetta might have a sister in this business. She was from a working family and people needed to eat. Lots of women had to turn to this line of work.

The Doctor came in before Anetta's sister, hurrying to deal with her rather obvious head injury. Ezio walked over to the book case and examined the material, most of which were erotic in nature. He plucked a random one to read through. Anything to stop his thought's racing.

* * *

Claudia tried to clear her tears as she sat by the fire in the strange house. Uncle Uberto (Uncle in friendship but not blood) had sent men to try save their family. But her father and brothers had already been taken. They arrived just in time to tear the men from her mother and send them packing. Uberto's soldiers then took her to his home where everything had been explained to her.

The men had been part of this secret cult that her father had fought against. They had killed guards, disguised themselves then rushed in attempting to frame the men of the city. Uberto would try to free them but it was not going to be an easy task. They had to find where they had been taken. Kill the assassins (for that was the cult) and then bring back her family.

Curling up by the fire, Claudia thought about what her sight had told her. Their intent towards her was one of kindness but there was a tone she was not sure about.

"Ezio…" She sighed softly. He had been out running errands. "Where are you? We need you."

* * *

 **I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter of Two Worlds, One Family. Soon, Ezio and Claudia shall hopefully meet after a bit of training and time skip. Then let the fun begin with fighting and convincing! The title of this story comes from the Disney film Tarzan. If you've enjoyed the story so far, feel free to leave kudos, bookmark or even review! I'm always happy to hear your views as this story belongs to you as much as me.**


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